Durban - Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s spokesperson has denied media reports that he ditched his position as the traditional prime minister of the Zulu monarch and nation.
Liezl van der Merwe said Buthelezi “continues to serve at the behest of his Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, for as long as iSilo requires his services, support and guidance”.
Her statement came after a newspaper with close royal ties reported on Thursday that Buthelezi had ditched the position he assumed in 1954 and which saw him serving three Zulu kings.
During his time in the position, Buthelezi helped install two of them (King Goodwill Zwelithini and King Misuzulu), amid a fierce battle in the royal court, which endeared him to millions.
The newspaper’s report came amid a bitter fallout between Buthelezi and King Misuzulu over the appointment of Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela as the new chairperson of the Ingonyama Trust Board.
In a letter sent to Buthelezi on Wednesday, King Misuzulu said he was informed that Buthelezi refused to back him (by filing supporting affidavits) in his court case against Prince Simakade unless Mzimela was sacked.
“During my communications with you, through your son, on the evening of 15 May 2023, it became evident that your purported reluctance to attend to the signing of the answering affidavit are not related to any issues contained in the aforesaid affidavit.
“To the contrary, your reluctance to sign the answering affidavit appears to be emanating from unrelated issues, which falls outside the ambit of the subject application and our answering affidavit.
“Amongst the issues raised were the following: ‘The demand that the newly appointed Inkosi Mzimela tender his resignation as the Chairperson of the Ingonyama Trust Board; my preliminary intention to recommend the appointment of 2 additional members to the Board with legal expertise.’
“However, I was informed by your son (Prince Zuzifa Buthelezi) that, for reasons unknown to me, you persist in your view that: The chairperson of the Ingonyama Trust Board should be someone with legal expertise; Inkosi Mzimela should resign with immediate effect.
“I was further informed that the signing of the answering affidavit on behalf of yourself and I is conditional on the aforesaid demands.
“As a result of this rather unfortunate impasse, I regret to inform you of my decision to terminate the mandate of Strauss Daly Inc, acting on our behalf and to appoint new attorneys to act on my behalf.
“The newly appointed attorneys will formally come on record in due course and an answering affidavit will be prepared for my signature,” King Misuzulu wrote in the letter that underlined the fallout between him and Buthelezi.
Despite all this and the reports from the newspapers aligned with the royalty, Van der Merwe said Buthelezi remained the prime minister to the Zulu nation and monarch.
“I have just spoken to Prince Buthelezi and I wish to reassure the public and Zulu nation at large, that their traditional prime minister continues to serve at the behest of his Majesty King MisuZulu kaZwelithini, for as long as iSilo requires his services, support and guidance.
“Prince Buthelezi has served the Zulu Nation as traditional prime minister since 1954. Nothing has changed in this regard. He remains fully committed to his responsibilities as traditional prime minister.
“Any announcement to (the) contrary would have been handled by myself, through a formal communique from the traditional prime minister’s office, and after due consultation,” she said.